Former Kiss drummer Peter Criss will apparently bid farewell to live shows after some expo performances this year. He will attend the Kiss Konvention Australia from May 12-14 and the New York Kiss Expo set for June 9-11. Ticket prices for these events are bonkers. The Australia gig is nearly $2,000.

This isn't the first time Criss has "retired." He announced the same back in 2012. I guess he either got bored or needed cash, because he certainly didn't pack it all in and hit the golf course permanently over the past few years.

Now back to the $2,000 - please don't pay this, I beg you. In fact, don't pay for meet and greets period. Save that money for a rainy day. These VIP experiences are just out of control and bilk people out of hard earned cash.

Reader Comments (14)

Having been a lifelong KISS fan, and someone with a sense of meter & timing, Peter should have stepped away from the drum kit for good, when his abilities as a percussionist started to falter.... That'd be in 1978.

@Ace. LOL bud, you speakerh the truth!! Lifelong Kiss guy here also. They were my first concert in 1976 at the ripe old age of 13. (Yes folks, I'm older than dirt) lol. That being said, I wouldn't pay 2K to see Peter Criss even if he were playing in my backyard, and was surrounded by Victoria's Secrets models. Although I'd probably pony up for just the models, (at which point my wife would castrate me).😂😂

I think the meet-and-greets are a load. Then again, they must sell or they wouldn't be offered. Market decides.

Thing is (and I said this months ago), the market _for_ these sorts of things (at the higher levels) likely aren't the diehard fans, or are diehard fans who made it big in their chosen professions, or are diehard fans who didn't make it big and for whom the labels on lottery tickets are designed ("not for economic planning purposes"). So you get dedicated dupes with unrealistic dreams, rich folks with nary a care one way or another, or people who simply collect experiences because they can. Again, that's the market for you.

Read Criss's book. Odd dude, but an interesting backstory (to the extent that it is truly his backstory). I suppose the fact that he is alive and well after all the abuse he did to himself (and the breast cancer) is a blessing in itself. And no one can sing "Beth" drunk on stage like he can. So he has that too!

Found Ace's book hilarious and enjoyable, Gary. He is so candid about having to have people fact-check his own life since he can only remember parts of it! Glad to see he is on the mend and doing well on his solo tour (doesn't seem to mind the smaller stages . . . or the rumors of his return to the fold either!).

I can seem his saying "whateva" in his high-pitched NY accent re: most things in life . . . and then letting loose with his equally high-pitched cackle. Guy cracks me up.

KISS is one of my faves, too. But for all of $immons' and Stanley's bravado, I always s get a kick out of the fact that it was Criss who penned (with Stan Penridge and Bob Ezrin) and sang "Beth", the only KISS song to reach the Billboard Top 10 (#7).

p.s. HIM -- Though you and I agree most of the time, I would have to disagree with you on the kind of people who pay exhorbitant prices for meet and greets. It is predominantly the most die hard of fans who do it. In fact, I would go so far as to say, they are obsessive "Superfans", bordering on classification as stalkers, many of whom give the impression they have no life. Again, to qualify for the nuts and trolls out there, I don't mean ALL of those who spend their money this way, but the majority who do.

Going to M3 again this year. I have four VIP tix which includes meet and greets. I bought the VIP tix for getting floor seats. I no longer have the desire to stand in line and take a picture or two with a musician, so again this year, I plan to scour the lawn seating and find and father/son or Mother/daughter or any combination thereof who don't have back stage passes and give them my passes free of charge. usually, I give the passes to the parent/child wearing the same band t-shirt as someone playing the festival and doing a meet and greet.

@Gary I want to be in that backyard with you - My wife will be with yours preparing for surgery but it might be worth it LOL. I was 9 in 76 and Kiss were a huge influence. I had Rock n Roll Over and Destroyer on 8 track. Meet and greets are only worth it if you really feel it is worth it - in my experience it the meet and greet has left me feeling ripped off but the good seats make it tempting.

KISS was also my first concert, but in 1979 on the Dynasty tour when things were well on their way down the drain for the original lineup. Still a fun show though with Judas Priest opening up. How many of you have read the absolutely amazing book, "And Party Every Day: The Inside Story of Casablanca Records" by Lary Harris? "Beth" wasn't even supposed to be released as a single. I won't give away the story, so if you haven't ready that book, give it a shot. finally, I imagine everybody here already knows that "Beth" started out as a song called "Beck" around 1972. It was about a bandmate's girlfriend named Rebecca who complained about him being gone all the time at band practice.

I'm actually attending the convention in Melbourne. Entry to the convention is $75aud and its $65aud for a signature / $85aud for a photo. Peter Criss is doing a "last kiss" performance on the Friday night, the cost of this ranges from $750aud to $1050aud for a 3 course meal, drinks and live performance.A lot of kiss fans I know in Australia are not attending the Friday night show, me being one of them.

Gary, I don't know if you're into audio books, but if you are, larry Harris reads the audio version himself. The book obviously isn't just about KISS. it's the whole crazy story of the record label, as well as an insight into how the music business worked in the 1970s.

Fletch, that is a very nice gesture on your part. Nice of you to do that.

And, Metalboy!, I can certainly add a fourth and fifth category to my list. No problem extending things a wee bit.

Shawn, good points too. I suppose it really is a matter of perspective. I mean, if a person wants to pay good money for something like that, I am not a person to stop them. I just tend to view these things with a very jaundiced eye. But that's just me.